MIcrosteris gracilis, May 16, 2023
Common & scientific name
Slender phlox, Microsteris gracilis
Family
Phlox, Polemoniaceae
Location
Difficult day use area, 8,100’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
An early bloomer that’s easy to miss, this tiny flower has 5 petals, its leaves and stem are glandular and hairy, and it rarely grows more than a few inches high. It is frequently found growing beside another tiny beauty, Blue-eyed Mary, both of which will reward the hiker who is willing to stop and get low.